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Hardware Practice Flashcards

7 cards from real COMPTIA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Hardware Practice flashcards as text

  1. A technician is upgrading a workstation to support NVMe storage but the motherboard only has older PCIe 3.0 slots and no M.2 slots. What is the best solution?

    Answer: Install a PCIe add-in card with an M.2 NVMe slot

    PCIe add-in cards with M.2 slots allow NVMe SSDs to be installed in standard PCIe slots, enabling NVMe on older motherboards.

  2. A desktop system is randomly shutting down under load. Temperatures appear normal. What component should the technician suspect?

    Answer: Power supply unit failing under load

    A failing PSU may deliver insufficient or unstable power under load, causing abrupt shutdowns even when temperatures are acceptable.

  3. What does 'TDP' (Thermal Design Power) represent for a CPU or GPU?

    Answer: The amount of heat the cooling solution must dissipate under sustained load

    TDP represents the maximum heat generated under sustained workloads that the cooling system must be rated to handle.

  4. A technician is installing a new PCIe x16 graphics card but the slot cover screw is stripped. What is the safest immediate action?

    Answer: Use a screw extractor tool or a rubber band to grip and remove the stripped screw

    A screw extractor or rubber band grip technique removes stripped screws safely without damaging the chassis or nearby components.

  5. Which characteristic differentiates DDR5 RAM from DDR4 RAM in terms of physical installation?

    Answer: DDR5 has a different notch position making it physically incompatible with DDR4 slots

    DDR5 DIMMs have a keying notch in a different position than DDR4, preventing accidental installation in incompatible motherboards.

  6. A user wants to add a second storage drive to their laptop but it only has one M.2 slot currently occupied. What expansion option should the technician check for?

    Answer: Check if the laptop has a secondary M.2 slot or a 2.5-inch SATA bay

    Many laptops include a secondary M.2 slot or a 2.5-inch SATA bay that can accommodate an additional drive.

  7. When installing a CPU cooler with a backplate mounting system on an ATX motherboard, why should the motherboard be removed from the case?

    Answer: To access the back of the motherboard for backplate installation

    Backplate mounting requires access to the rear of the motherboard, which is typically obstructed by the case unless the board is removed.